Agartala, 3rd July 2026: Panic gripped employees at the office of the South District Chief Medical Officer (CMO) in Belonia on Friday after a generator caught fire within the office premises.
According to reports, thick black smoke was seen rising from the office compound around noon, triggering panic among staff members. Employees immediately evacuated the building and raised an alarm.
The fire was later found to have engulfed the office generator. Staff members quickly attempted to contain the blaze using water while simultaneously moving vehicles parked near the generator to a safe location to prevent the fire from spreading.
On receiving the information, personnel from the Belonia Fire and Emergency Services rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control. Thanks to the prompt response of the firefighters and the quick action of the office staff, the blaze was prevented from spreading to the main office building, averting a major disaster.
Sources said the generator had undergone repairs only a few days ago. It was switched on after a temporary power outage on Friday, but within a short time, black smoke began emanating from the machine before it erupted into flames.
The generator was completely destroyed in the incident. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined, and an investigation is expected to ascertain the circumstances that led to the incident.
